Benjamin Hanby wrote this famous Christmas song in 1864. It’s excited children every Christmas Eve since then! Up on the housetop reindeer pause, Out jumps Good Old Santa Claus Down through the chimney with lots of toys All for the little ones Christmas joys. Ho, ho ho! Who wouldn’t go? Ho, ho ho! Who wouldn’t …
Tag: 8-bell
Starting in 2012, we (Larry and Carla Sue) developed a large repertoire of music for eight handbells which we perform as four-in-hand duets. These pieces ranged from fairly simple to maniacally difficult, and eventually led to the creation of their “Surprisingly Easy”™ eight-bell arrangements so that there would be more options for the ringing world at large.
As eight-bell repertoire works well with a two-in-hand quartet (two bells each) or a four-in-hand duo, or with a trio where the bells are divided 4-2-2 or 3-3-2. We've even seen one instance of playing eight-bell music with eight ringers with one bell apiece, a la Sacred Harp.
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night (WINCHESTER) – Eight handbells
The WINCHESTER tune sung with While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night comes from Est’s Whole Book of Psalmes from 1592. While shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the ground, The angel of the Lord came down, and glory shone around. “Fear not! said he, for mighty dread had seized their troubled …
May 24
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us
We’ve gotten a lot closer to settling into life in Michigan – it’s been part of the adventure that started when we moved from California in 2016. Now everything is pretty much in place in our new home, and the blue spruces in the woods are happily growing new bits as spring rolls into summer. …
Linstead Market – Eight handbells
The Jamaican song Linstead Market tells of a woman who goes to town to sell some ackee fruit to earn money so she can feed her children. Unfortunately, she isn’t able to sell enough, and exclaims “what a Saturday night!” This melody is present in our churches as the hymns “Break Not the Circle” and …
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us (BRADBURY) – Eight handbells
Jesus tells us that He is the Great Shepherd, and that we are His sheep. Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us is an appropriate description of those who follow Him in faith, because we need the Lord’s guidance to walk through life. Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care, In …
Sakura – Eight handbells
One of the most-beloved melodies from Japan is Sakura. The translation of the title is “cherry blossoms”. This thoughtful, melancholy tune affords lots of oppportunity for expressive, flowing playing. Standard Version: ”Dual-Range”™ Score Package: $ US G5-based practice track: $ US F5-based practice track: $ US Purchasing this 8-bell arrangement gives you permission to print …
Mar 07
The Boys of Bluehill
Hornpipes and jigs were two of the exciting additions to our repertoire over the past three or four years. In case you haven’t played many of them and were wondering about thematic structure, jigs often (but not always!) have the pattern AA, BB, CC, DD, etc. and can be chained together to add to the …
Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed (MARTYRDOM) – Eight handbells
Hugh Wilson arranged a tune of anonymous origin, MARTYRDOM, as a setting for Isaac Watts’ words Alas, and did my Savior bleed, and then added a refrain. It’s a hymn that is important to many Christians at Easter. Alas! and did my Savior bleed / And did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred …
Jan 08
Epiphany
And a wonderful Epiphany to you! We’re starting 2017 by publishing a new eight-bell arrangement of the German Epiphany carol O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright. Philipp Nicaolai composed the tune at the end of the sixteenth century, and about 150 years later J.S. Bach harmonized it. We wish you a happy 2017, and …
O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright (WIE SCHON LEUCHTET DER MORGENSTERN) – Eight handbells
O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright tells of many wonderful attributes of the Son of God and how apprehension of them leads us to give ourselves to Him in humility and worshipfulness. This sixteenth-century Epiphany hymn was harmonized by J.S. Bach in 1731. O Morning Star, how fair and bright Thou beamest forth in …
